


and if my wishes came true (it would've been you)

by winterkillz



Series: a couple of kids making history [1]
Category: Marvel, Marvel (Comics), Marvel 616
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Internalized Homophobia, Love Confessions, M/M, The Invaders, World War II, adult buckytoro, buckytoro, just fyi they're 20 even tho i do state that in the fic, or are they lovers? ha, you make me feel like a teenager in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-28
Updated: 2020-07-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:27:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25565107
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/winterkillz/pseuds/winterkillz
Summary: “Ironically, you’re such a wet sock.” Bucky yawns and stretches, then faces Toro again. “Let’s go somewhere then. I’d die of boredom before I’d die of a bullet to the heart in this war. You’re leaving tomorrow, right?” He raises a brow with that irritatingly charming smile thatalwaysgets Toro. Admittedly, Toro has forgotten the rest of the Invaders are separating ways tomorrow due to orders and different missions, with Toro accompanying Jim and obviously Bucky with Steve. Namor is away and it’s unfortunate that Bucky has no one else to bother but Toro.“Fine.” Toro sighs and stands up as well, straightening his uniform and pants. “I think I saw a candy store downtown. Wanna check it out?”“Oh, hellyeah.”
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Thomas "Toro" Raymond
Series: a couple of kids making history [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1888273
Kudos: 8





	and if my wishes came true (it would've been you)

**Author's Note:**

> dt the buckytoros out there, there's like 5 of us lmao,, here's some food <3

It’s almost halfway through 1945 but somehow this part drags too slow, like when the adult Invaders are in a meeting and Bucky and Toro are left bored sipping their soda ice creams in the tent, flipping over the Marvel Comic issues they had missed. Funny enough, that’s exactly what they’re doing now, except they’re not as thrilled anymore as when they were younger.

“We’re 20 now.” Bucky states as-matter-of-factly, laying on his stomach on the bed. He turns a page then scowls. “But they _still_ draw us like 12-year-olds.”

“It’s a comic.” Toro explains for the nth time. Bucky had never failed to complain about how young they looked in the comics, or how inaccurate they drew his curls, or how sometimes they wouldn’t paint Toro’s eyes in the right shade of blue. Not that they’re capable of it with the tight budget. “We’re supposed to look like caricatures. A lot younger because _surprise_ , it’s kids who look up to us ever since we were their age. They can’t exactly know that Bucky and Toro and the Young Allies are in their twenties now.”

Bucky snorts as Toro crawls beside him, resting his head on the curve of Bucky’s back, the comics he’s reading positioned on his chest. Bucky has this distinct smell of chocolate and strawberries combined that Toro really likes. He and Bucky are used to sharing beds since they were kids and this scent comforts Toro at night knowing that Bucky is around, and distracts him during the day knowing that Bucky _is_ around. In the past few years there's been something about Bucky that makes Toro’s chest _hurt_ in a certain way. Sure, they grew up together and Toro is pretty much used to every quirk Bucky has. But recently when they sneak out to bars on their days off and Bucky pulls out that specific smile reserved for the ladies, it hurts. When Bucky elbows him and nags him to dance with the pretty brunette in a pink dress across the room, it hurts. When the enemy gets lucky and manages to get through his flames and actually hurt him, the way Bucky calls his name out hurts. The way Bucky desperately runs to catch him _hurts_.

Of course, Toro couldn’t possibly talk to Bucky about this unless he figures out what it really is. He thinks he needs more time and _wishes_ for it, though time is one thing that isn’t guaranteed while being men in war. He’s just trying to enjoy Bucky’s company like he has been doing ever since.

“Gah! This is boring.” Bucky finally snaps, rolling away which leads to Toro dropping his head to the mattress that isn’t exactly soft. “We’re adults now. Shouldn’t we be involved in those meetings? I’m tired of being set aside. We’re part of the team too, y’know?”

“I know what you’re thinking and we’re absolutely _not_ snooping around.” Toro slams the comic book shut and sits up, turning his body to Bucky. Bucky pouts his lips too much to Toro’s liking. The brunet pushes his comic book away and jumps off the bed and Toro rolls his eyes. “Steve and Jim are better off handling whatever it is themselves. You never learn from your mistakes, don’t you? We’ve been caught more than how much I can count on my fingers, Buck. Since you’re preaching about being an adult so much, why don’t you act like one for once?”

“Ironically, you’re such a wet sock.” Bucky yawns and stretches, then faces Toro again. “Let’s go somewhere then. I’d die of boredom before I’d die of a bullet to the heart in this war. You’re leaving tomorrow, right?” He raises a brow with that irritatingly charming smile that _always_ gets Toro. Admittedly, Toro has forgotten the rest of the Invaders are separating ways tomorrow due to orders and different missions, with Toro accompanying Jim and obviously Bucky with Steve. Namor is away and it’s unfortunate that Bucky has no one else to bother but Toro. 

“Fine.” Toro sighs and stands up as well, straightening his uniform and pants. “I think I saw a candy store downtown. Wanna check it out?”

“Oh, hell _yeah._ ” Bucky grins and pumps his fists excitedly, running out of the tent quick — if Steve and Jim weren’t just standing right outside.

“Are you going somewhere?” Steve raises a brow at Bucky who loosens up the neck of his shirt with a gulp. 

“We’re heading to town,” Toro answers instead as he steps forward. “We’ll be back soon, promise.” He looks at Steve, then to Jim who smiles at him in approval. 

“Promise! Toro’s takin’ me to a candy store, Steve. I wanna taste if London’s local chocolate is any better.” Bucky grins as Toro backs him up with a nod. “C’mon, we’re not here that often.”

Steve huffs. “Alright. But come back soon, we’re discussing stuff for tomorrow.” He and Jim give way to the younger duo. “ _Soon_.”

“Yes!” Bucky laughs and skips out of the tent, waving his hand for Toro to catch up. Toro feels his face warm up, something odd for someone with fire immunity. He runs after Bucky and hooks his arm around his neck. 

Somehow, this day feels light.

Toro and Bucky reach downtown quickly, with Toro looking everywhere for that candy store he had a glance of when he and Jim were flying by. He didn’t really take note which street or avenue it was but Bucky doesn’t seem to mind, whistling a familiar tune as they walk along the streets of London. Toro looks over to the debris of a fallen building on his left, probably a result of The Blitz. Other than some people attempting to recover anything under the blocks of cement, this part of the city is still bustling and busy. The war really desensitized people with sceneries like this, even Bucky, even himself. He then eyes the airships above, counting how many times did he crash into Nazi ones through the years fighting. The war has been going on for how many years now? He became a soldier for America as a child, and now he’s turning 21. Everything about it seems surreal to him in a sense, even the fact that he’s still with Bucky up till now.

As if reading Toro’s mind, Bucky speaks up. “What do you want for your birthday?” 

Toro looks back to Bucky with a blink and a chuckle. “What, are you buying something for me?”

Bucky hums. “Sure, I’ve got a few dollars saved–”

“Hey! Gee, I was kidding. I didn’t even give _you_ a gift last month. I’m fine.”

“I still owe you one for the birthday cake when I was 18.” 

“Bucky, I gave your name to a Nazi and blew our cover. Because of that we couldn’t give you any more cake on your birthdays just in case I do it again.”

“It was still the nicest thing a pal’s ever done to me.” Bucky stops walking and so does Toro after a couple of steps ahead. Toro stares at Bucky, watching a smile form on the other’s lips graced with two dimples left and right. It seemed like he’s frozen to his place, only thawed when Bucky decides to shift forward and reach for him. “Toro I have to tell–”

“Oh look, we actually passed by the shop! Let’s go.” Before Bucky could even brush Toro’s shoulder with his fingertips, he purses his lips together and strides past Bucky hastily and to Hardy’s candy store. Toro isn’t sure why he had dodged whatever Bucky was about to say, he doesn’t even know what it would be about. It was gut instinct and he followed it, feeling his stomach turn sour over the possibilities his mind is providing him. When he opens the shop’s door however, the scent of raspberry and chocolate mint greets him and Bucky who is behind him, instantly making them both smile and the awkward tension unknowingly dissipate. 

Bucky already started hopping from corner to corner, picking up different types of candy he could lay his eyes on. If there’s one thing that stayed constant with Bucky through the years it would be his absolute love for sweets. “They’ve got Whoppers here! Toro, c’mere!” He enthusiastically waves his hand to Toro once again who was still standing by the door. 

“I didn’t know you liked Whoppers?” Toro leans over to the counter full of assorted candies while Bucky moves on to the licorice strings, taking a paper bag and stuffing it with strawberry flavored ones. “Do you want me to get some Hershey’s too?”

“Yes please,” Bucky says from across the shop, now debating whether to get peanut butter cups too. “Can you get me a few Krackels and the original ones? Oh! And some Kisses.”

“You bet.” Toro takes about two of the crunchy and three of the plain then goes over to Bucky who already has his arms full. Bucky’s grinning ear to ear, and Toro realizes how much he liked Bucky’s eyes that smile along with his lips. He stood there in front of Bucky and felt the same feeling as earlier, the same skip of a beat in his heart. 

With a sharp inhale, Toro turns away yet again and heads to the counter. “I’ll pay for it all so don’t worry about it.” Toro says, refusing to look back at Bucky as he rummages his pockets for his wallet. Maybe if he hides his face, Bucky wouldn’t notice how red his cheeks are for whatever reason it is, dismissing how the cashier could see it anyway. “It’s my late birthday gift to you, alright? So don’t complain.”

“Aw,” Bucky coos, plopping his candies onto the counter. “Wasn’t planning on complaining anyway, free candies are the best.” 

Toro rolls his eyes once again, this time affectionately. He pulls a dollar he got from saving a guy a while back who insisted him to take it. He thought he’d save it to buy all the missed copies of comics he didn’t have, but since Steve managed to get them the comics for free yesterday, spending it on his best friend isn’t so bad of an idea.

Carrying two bags full of candies, Bucky and Toro exit the store with Toro suggesting that they should find a spot to eat the snacks at. They decide to go to the same wreckage they passed by earlier, now empty of people looking around. Bucky kicks a pebble out of the way as he starts climbing over the debris, attempting to get to the other side.

“Hey, we can just stay here at the front part?” Toro shouts, but Bucky keeps going.

“Where’s the fun in that? Come!” Bucky keeps climbing and jumping and tip-toeing, and Toro couldn’t just watch. He sighs and follows Bucky’s stubborn ass, wishing he could just fly the two of them over instead of struggling. 

The two reached the part which was merely obstructed by another tall building that miraculously survived the bombing. It’s still mostly intact, though you can see a fairly sized hole right on its upper left, some of the bricks falling down and joining the pile of rubble down where they’re at. It wasn’t quite a view, but it was quiet and away enough from the abuzz streets of London. Bucky finds his spot with a sigh — on top of a dusty bed poking out of the debris. He places his bag on his lap and pats his right side, a signal for Toro to sit beside, and so Toro does. Toro figures this was a motel before it was torn down.

“We could’ve been watching passers-by back there.” Toro shuffles in his seat and takes one of the plain milk chocolate bars he bought. “This is boring.”

“Oh, so now _you’re_ talking about boring.” Bucky teases and takes his share of licorice strings and slurps them up like pasta.

Toro mocks a disgusted expression. “Chew it properly! How come you don’t get cavities from all the candies you eat?” 

Bucky shrugs. “You know I drink milk an awful lot. Besides, life is short especially when you’re fighting in the war. Think I’d worry more about bombs than cavities.” 

Toro agrees, so he stays silent. Bucky’s a pretty darn good fighter without super powers. Unlike him and Jim, he couldn’t engulf himself in flames. Unlike Steve, he doesn’t have a shield nor super-strength. Unlike Namor, he couldn’t breathe underwater. Bucky withstood everything without all that, and if Toro’s being honest that’s one of the reasons why he admires him so much. And though Bucky is playful in nature, he could be realistic at times, keeping Toro on his toes. Toro relies on the war being over first before checking boxes in his bucket lists while Bucky does his already, sometimes recklessly, but it gets done. Toro admires that. Even though Bucky has dreams, he doesn’t necessarily wait for the right time because time itself waits for no one. It’s laughable how this is what’s in Toro’s mind right now, watching his best friend inhale his third bar of chocolate in the span of five minutes. He was thinking about how he’s got time to think about what he _truly_ feels for Bucky and if it’s right — but what if there’s no time? Toro silently stares at Bucky, taking in the fact that his eyes shine brighter without the domino mask, and how his sharp jawline cuts every heartstring in Toro’s heart, and how much he adores the swirl of brown hair hanging on Bucky’s forehead. Toro soaks it all in, then swallows.

“Hey, do you want a kiss?” Toro says in a nonchalant tone, eyes never leaving Bucky who doesn’t bother to look back. 

“Sure, hand ‘em over.” Bucky brings his palm up, the other searching through his bag of treats if he had grabbed those mints that Steve liked. He’s sure he snatched a box of them too, for consolation.

Toro counts up to three before pulling Bucky’s hand then pecking his cheek. Both of them look shocked; Bucky quickly turns his head to Toro with widened eyes while Toro sat completely still, hand remaining on Bucky’s. His grip tightens then softens, shaking. What did he just _do?_

“I think we need a drink. I’ll be right back.” Toro decides and stands up, but Bucky grips his hand tighter and _pulls,_ their lips crashing together this time.

It felt aggressive and awkward at first. Toro feels stiff in his position, but when Bucky scoots closer and tilts his head better, it seems right. It _feels_ right. If he puts his thoughts into it, Toro can taste strawberries and chocolates from Bucky too, just like how he smells like. Toro, in his lifetime, has probably only kissed one or two dames. He’s seen Bucky kiss a lot and had thought about how it would be like, and now it’s happening. 

Wait, it’s _happening_.

Toro pulls away, biting down his lower lip. Bucky doesn’t look as surprised anymore but he seems confused about why would Toro break the kiss.

“Why did you kiss me?” Toro asks first, making Bucky furrow his brows.

“Wha– _you_ kissed _me_ first!” Bucky frustatedly swings both his hands up in defense.

“I know but– you’re– you’re not supposed to do that.” Toro answers, nervous now as he averts his gaze. He expected Bucky to maybe turn away, grossed out, maybe run back to the tent and never speak to him _again_. He expected everything but this.

“What am I supposed to do then?” Bucky retorts, brushing his hair up in stress. “Run like a chicken? I _can’t_ , Toro, not when I’ve been running away for too long.”

When Toro looks back to Bucky, Bucky becomes the one who avoids him. They were both quiet, both struggling to form words to tell each other. Toro subconsciously crumples the bag on his lap as he studies Bucky’s expression. He looks like he’s about to cry and it makes Toro’s chest ache. He wants to apologize but for what? For kissing him? Or for thinking he shouldn’t have?

“I’ve been… meaning to tell you that I like you. Like how guys like girls but it’s me to _you_ , Toro. I know it’s weird and before you push me away, could you hear me out first?” Bucky clenches his jaw at the confession. “You seem to be avoiding me recently. Like earlier. I think you know about it already and actually don’t wanna hear it coming from me… I wanted to respect that. Until you– until you kissed my cheek, maybe I misread the situation. Maybe it was just a silly joke and–”

“Bucky,” Toro stops Bucky’s rambling, extending his arm to tilt Bucky’s chin up to look at him and when he does, he plants another kiss, longer this time. “I think… I think I like you too.”

He’s figured it out. 

“M’sorry, I was just… in shock. I didn’t think you’d kiss me back on the _lips._ ” Toro assures, wiping below Bucky’s eyes just before the apparent tears could stream down. “I like you a lot, you lughead. Too much. And if _this_ is weird to you then what do you think of a human torch, huh?” 

Bucky laughs and reaches for Toro’s neck, pulling him into another kiss. Doing this in the middle of London isn’t exactly ideal and whether they admit it or not, Bucky and Toro are glad they’re hidden behind the heap of debris, far from everyone else. Today they only need each other’s opinion on what’s wrong and what’s right, and based on what they’re feeling right now, they couldn’t make any better decision. 

Bucky and Toro return to camp for debriefing. Tomorrow at the crack of dawn, Jim and Toro are needed back in America to spearhead the final attack to Hitler in Germany. Steve and Bucky are designated to stay in London to take care of the alleged plans of Zemo to sabotage the English supplies. While the meeting goes on, Bucky and Toro hold hands underneath the table for the first time, the spark in their hearts the same as their first kiss, unbeknownst to them that this is also their _last_. The next day at exactly 5:23AM of April 18th, Toro and Bucky touched foreheads in their tent while uttering silent prayers for each other’s safety. They promised to return to each other's arms, and promised to come back to each other alive like they always do, when it’s all done. 

However, promises are indeed meant to be broken. 

12 days later, Toro and the rest of the Invaders find out that Captain America and Bucky did not return from the mission. Two days after that, Toro begins to search around the English channel for their remains that were never recovered. In another two days, the US Army had to stop him, as they had found substitutes for Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes. For one more week, even though the war is over and there are thousands of things to celebrate about, Toro mourned. 

10 years later, as he looked at himself in the mirror getting ready for his wedding, looking dashing in his suit and tie, living in the extra time that he had been wishing for — Toro realized that he shouldn’t have wished for that at all.


End file.
